Space divider



May 3, 1966 R. G. MoHR ETAL 3,248,829

SPACE DIVIDER Filed April 5, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lfarnags May .3, 1966 R. c. MoHR ETAL SPACE DIVIDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 5, 1962 UnitedStates Patent O 3,248,829 SPACE DIVIDER Robert G. Mohr and Donald A. Bice, Kalamazoo, Mich.,

assignors to Brunswick Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 3, 1962, Ser. No. 184,831 4 Claims. (Cl. 52-65) This invention relates to a space divider assembly, and more particularly to a movably mounted space di- Vider for increasing wall working surface.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a new and improved space divider assembly.

Heavily crowded conditions in schools have made it difficult to provide suitable privacy for small group activities and study, as well as creating a critical situation in classroom storage space and wall working area. When it is considered that most schoolrooms are used orindividual study and small group activities in addition to general classroom Work such as lectures, the problem of providing adequate fiexibility in modern classrooms becomes increasingly diliicult and critical. Small, relatively secluded work areas can be provided by space dividers-which have become increasingly popular in recent years as a convenient method of subdividing large room areas as in hospital rooms, library reading rooms,

in homes for breaking up large living rooms into more intimate spaces and in providing private offices, to name A but a few. However, space dividers as are presently known are not entirely satisfactory for classrooms and create storage problems when they are not in use. For example, portable space dividers of the type often used in hospit-als ursurp a great deal of valuable wall space in a classroom when they are stored in a normal manner flat along a wall, and if not so stored they are likely to be moved into hallways and create congestion. While transverse drapes or screens are highly desirable as space dividers in other environments, they provide more privacy and seclusion than is desirable in a classroom, particularly at the elementary and high school levels, and tend to interfere with adequate ventilation. In addition, for space dividers to be at all suited for most classrooms they must be easy to handle and safe, parti-cularly in thevpresence of immat-ure children. Thus, space dividers as have been previously available have shortcomings of varying importance, but nevertheless limiting their use and desirability in classrooms.

The problem of providing adequate wall working and storage area in classrooms has been solved to some extent by wall mounted lixtures which may be shifted about the room, and from room to room to provide greater flexibility in adapting rooms to various uses. Such fixtures and their mountings are described in our co-pending application, Serial No. 78,501, filed December 27, 1960, for a Mounting However, wall working surface, whether in the form of blackboards, pinboards, cabinets, or the like, is seldom adequate, and heretofore no practical solution was forthcoming since any room has limited wall area.

A more specilic object of this invention is to-provide a new and improved space divider assembly swingably mounted on an upright support such as a wall, with provision for detachably mounting various fixtures such as blackboards, cabinets, or the like to thereby substantially increase the wall working surface in school classrooms wbile being conveniently swingable against the wall to retain normal wall working space and provide a large open area for classroom lectures and the like.

Another object is provision of a space divider mounted at one end on a wall for horizontal swinging movement and supported at its free end by a roller engaging the floor so that the space divider may be swung out of 3,248,829 Patented May 3, 1966 FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view, taken generally l along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, with the wall in section;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary front elevational view illustrating a telescopic post, with parts broken away for clearer illustration;

FIGUR-E 4 is an end elevational view similar to FIGURE 3, with parts broken away for clearer illustration;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary end elevational view of an inner member of the post shown separate-ly; and

FIGURE 6 is a top view of the inner member shown in FIGURE 5.

- While an .illustrative embodiment of the invention as shown in the drawings will be described. in detail herein, the invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms and it should be understood that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplication of the principles of the invention and is notintended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is, in brief, directed to a space divider assembly in which a space divider has one end mounted on a wall for horizontal swinging movement against the wall on either side of the pivot, and an opposite end having a roller engaging the fioor for supporting the space divider thereon.v This roller is resiliently urged against the floor for supporting the sp-ace divider and compensating for any irregularities in the floor or out of plumb mounting of the space divider on the wall. Provision is made for mounting standardized lixtures, such as cabinets, blackboards, pegboards or the like to increase the wall working area.- Thus, the space divider may be easily and compactly stored against a wall without reducing the normal Wall working area of the room, and when operatively positioned for dividing the room these fixtures actually increase the wall working area of the room.

Referring to FIGURESI and 2 of the drawings, a space divider assembly 10 is swingably mounted at one end on a Wall 11 and is movably supported at an opposite end on a floor 12 so that the space divider may be swung horizontally against the wall on either side, or may extend outwardly of the wall for dividing the room into separate areas. This space divider assembly includes a space divider frame 13 having provision for mounting fixture-s, such as av blackboard 14 shown in phantom lines in FIGURE 1, ormany other types of fixtures such as cabinets, pegboards, easels or the like, as described in the aforementioned patent application. In the illustrated embodiment, these l'ixtures may be mounted on either side of frame 13, and in order that they may be conveniently used when the space divider is swung from its storage position fiat against wall 11 to a position transverse to the wall,

4suitable means are provided for holding the free end of the frame supported in stationary manner on floor 12.

In the illustrated embodiment, the space divider is swingably mounted on wall 11 by means of a pair of brackets 18 and 15, vertically disposed one above the other, and firmly secured to the wall in any suitable manner as by anchor bolts 20. These brackets have opposed supporting portions 22 and 23 disposed outwardly at a substantial distance from wall 11, and receiving therebetween a lirst upright peripheral frame member of frame-13. This frame member has opposite ends detachably mounted, respectively, on supporting portions 22 and 23 by suitable pivot bolts 26 extending through the brackets providing for pivotal movement of the frame 13 about an upright axis. By mounting frame member 25 a substantial distance from wall 11, both the Wall and the space divider assembly are easier to clean and any possibility of smashing `a hand or jamming an object between the space divider frame and the wall as the frame swings on its pivots, is effectively eliminated.

In addition to the first upright frame member 25, frame 13 is further defined by opposed upper and lower peripheral frame members 23 and 29, respectively, firmly secured at their inner ends to frame member 25 as by welding or the like, and extending outwardly therefrom in the same direction to opposite ends which are similarly firmly secured to a second upright peripheral frame member 3f). rfhis second frame member 36 has a generally rectangular tubular portion 31 exten-ding downwardly to an open end near floor 12. A suitable' roller, here in the form of a small wheel 33 is rotatably mounted on a U-shaped bracket 34 which is fixed to a rectangular stem f 35 telescoped in tubular portion 31 of frame member 3). As may best be seen in FIGURES 3-6, this stem is of such configuration that it is nonrotatably held in tubular portion 31 and therewith defines a telescopic post for supporting the free outer end of frame 13. Thus, roller 33 is rotatable about an axis parallel to, and here in the plane of frame 13.

Resilient means is provided for resiliently urging roller 33 int-o engagement with the oor thereby resiliently supporting the free outer end of the frame on the floor and compensating for any irregularity in the iioor or out of plumb mounting of brackets 18 and 19 and frame member 25. Herein this means is in the form of a spiral compression spring 3-7 telescoped within the post and having opposite ends seated on a portion of a bracket 38 extending outwardly from an inner wall of tubular portion 31, and an opposed bracket 39 having a shank portion 40 firmly secured to an inner wallof stem 35 and a seat portion 41 extending outwardly from this wall and receiving the spring end.

Suitable locking means is provided to retain the space divider in xed position when it is positioned outwardly from wall 11, so that the fixtures, as 14, may be used in normal manner without movement of the frame. This means may be of any suitable type, and herein a conventional commercially available roller assembly (3S-34) having a foot operable locking means including a pivoted lever 43 accessible for depression to brake and releasably lock roller 33 against rotation, is provided. Thus, space divider frame 13- will remain stationary in desired position, extending transversely outwardly from wall 11, as a person writes on blackboard 14 or performs any other normal functions on or with whatever fixtures may be attached to the frame.

Asis more fully described in the aforementioned patent application, these fixtures have standardized attaching portions in the form of spe-cial hook type-brackets spaced apart a predetermined distance and adapted to be received in slots shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawings, More particularly, frame 13 is providedl With' an intermediate upright member 45 which is equally spaced from the opposed upright members 25 and 30 to define two open windows 46 and 47 in side by side relationship and of equal size. `The peripheral upright members 25 and 30 have suitably secured to their respective bodies as by bolts, upright mounting members 49 and 50, respectively, Mounting members 49 and 50 each have an upright row of substantially equally spaced upwardly extending elongated slots 51, and intermediate upright member d5 has two such rows of slots. These rows are parallel, and the slots are vertically aligned from top to bottom. The rows of slots on the space divider 13 are spaced apart the proper distance for receiving these fixture hooks. While this construction is fully described in the aforementioned patent application, it has particular and novel utility in the present space divider structure in that the space divider frame 13 is rendered substantially lighter for handling and installation because of windows 46 and 47; and additionally the side faces of the space divider frame may -be utilized in a `useful manner by attachment of these fixtures which are normally found in modern classrooms. The fixtures may be attached to the frame in any desired arrangement as described in the aforementioned patent application, and these fixtures in this environment serve the additional function of space divider barriers, one or more fixtures substantially closing each window @d and 47 of frame 13.

We claim:

1. In a room divider assembly mounted on an upright support such as a wall or the like for swmging movement across a fioor and having various fixtures with similar standardized attaching portions, a pair of mounting brackets one above the other on said support and having supporting portions disposedl outwardly a substantial distance from said wall, means on said supporting portions defining a fixed vertical axis, a room divider having an upright frame with opposite ends, an upright member at one end of the frame and extending between said supporting portions, another upright member at an opposite end of the frame and having a tubular portion extending Vdownwardly therefrom, at least one upright intermediate member equally spaced from the end upright members, spaced apart parallel upper and lower members firmly secured to said upright members and defining therewith equal size open windows side by side in said frame, said upright members having means on both sides of said frame for operative association with said fixture attaching portions in mounting said fixtures across said windows to dene room dividing barriers freely positionable in various desired arrangements on said frame, means mounting opposite ends of the first said upright member on sai-d support portions and confining said frame for free generally horizontal swinging movement thereof about said fixed Vertical axis against said wall on either side of said brackets with the first said upright member spaced a substantial distance from said support, a stem non-rotatably telescoped in said tubular portion and extending downwardly therefrom to define a telescopic post, a roller mounted on the bottom of said stem for yfree rotation about an axis fixed parallel the plane of said frame, resilient means comprising a spring telescoped in said post and operatively connected with said tubular portion and said stem for urging said roller against said floor to support said frame regardless of irregularities in the floor, and releasable lock means for selectively locking said roller t0 retain said room divider in desired position.

2. In a room divider assembly mounted on an upright support such as a Wall or the like for swinging movement across a floor and having various fixtures with similar standardized attaching portions, a room divider having an upright frame with opposite ends and defining at least one open window thereby reducing the weight of said frame, said frame having means for operative association with said fixture attaching portions in mounting said fixture across and substantially closing said Window to define a room dividing barrier, means for mounting one end of said frame on said upright support for free generally horizontal swinging movement of said frame, an upright telescopic post at the other end of said frame, resilient means for urging said post toward said floor, floor follower means carried by the bottom of resilient means to support said frame for free movement thereof, and releasable locking means on said post to retain said room divider in desired position.

3. In a room divider assembly mounted for horizontal swinging movement on a wall or the like and across a oor or the like and having various detachably mounted fixtures, a room divider having opposed upper and lower members and opposed upright members. firmly secured to said upper and lower members to define a frame, said upright members having means on opposite sides of said frame for detachably mounting said fixtures in various desired arrangements on said frame to define room dividing barriers, means for detachably mounting opposite ends of one of said upright members on said wall for pivotal movement about an upright axis and free horizontal swinging movement of said frame across said oor freely rotatable roller means mounted on the bottom of the other upright member for engaging the floor to suport said frame, and releasable lock means for selectively locking said roller to retain said room divider in desired position.

4. A room divider assembly mountable on a wall for swinging movement over a Hoor and dividing a room into smaller areas, comprising, a room divider lying substantially in a vertical plane and having opposite ends spaced horizontally apart, means for pivotally attaching one of said ends to the wall to coniine the room divider to swing horizontally about la substantially vertical xed axis, and a oor engaging support carried by the room divider spaced from said vertical axis and consisting of an upright post carrying a oor engaging roller for easing the swinging movement of the room divider, and

` releasable lock means mounted on said divider and operatively associated with said roller for selectively locking the same to retain the divider in desired position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,200,879 10/1916 Harrison. 1,596,457 8/1926 Scherer et al 35-63 1,865,863 7/1932 Kraft 35--63 1,875,965 9/1932 Waters 16-100 X 2,969,565 1/1961 Levy 52-122 3,034,609 5/1962 Young 52-241 RICHARD W. COOKE, JR., Primary Examiner.

JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Examiner.

I. LISTER. Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A ROOM DIVIDER ASSEMBLY MOUNTED ON AN UPRIGHT SUPPORT SUCH AS A WALL OR THE LIKE FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT ACROSS A FLOOR AND HAVING VARIOUS FIXTURES WITH SIMILAR STANDARDIZED ATTACHING PORTIONS, A PAIR OF MOUNTING BRACKETS ONE ABOVE THE OTHER ON SAID SUPPORT AND HAVING SUPPORTING PORTIONS DISPOSED OUTWARDLY A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE FROM SAID WALL, MEANS ON SAID SUPPORTING PORTIONS DEFINING A FIXED VERTICAL AXIS, A ROOM DIVIDER HAVING AN UPRIGHT FRAME WITH OPPOSITE ENDS, AN UPRIGHT MEMBER AT ONE END OF THE FRAME AND EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SUPPORTING PORTIONS, ANOTHER UPRIGHT MEMBER AT AN OPPOSITE END OF THE FRAME AND HAVING A TUBULAR PORTION EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM, AT LEAST ONE UPRIGHT INTERMEDIATE MEMBER EQUALLY SPACED FROM THE END UPRIGHT MEMBERS, SPACED APART PARALLEL UPPER AND LOWER MEMBERS FIRMLY SECURED TO SAID UPRIGHT MEMBERS AND DEFINING THEREWITH EQUAL SIZE OPEN WINDOWS SIDE BY SIDE IN SAID FRAME, SAID UPRIGHT MEMBERS HAVING MEANS ON BOTH SIDES OF SAID FRAME FOR OPERATIVE ASSOCIATION WITH SAID FIXTURE ATTACHING PORTIONS IN MOUNTING SAID FIXTURES ACROSS SAID WINDOWS TO DEFINE ROOM DIVIDING BARRIERS FREELY POSITIONABLE IN VARIOUS DESIRED ARRANGEMENTS ON SAID FRAME, MEANS MOUNTING OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE FIRST SAID UPRIGHT MEMBER ON SAID SUPPORT PORTIONS AND CONFINING SAID FRAME FOR FREE GENERALLY HORIZONTAL SWINGING MOVEMENT THEREOF ABOUT SAID FIXED VERTICAL AXIS AGAINST SAID WALL ON EITHER SIDE OF SAID BRACKETS WITH THE FIRST SAID 